News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1887-10-20

| Il AlISI 1OI0-
castle conference it was decided to APP
peal to the captain. Not a man of either
watch could touch the provisions. An
oldish man, who was thorough sailor,
very intelligent, and the last to find
fault, was selected as spokesman, and
he put some of the provisions in kid,
and we followed him to the mainmast.
AS I told you, it was evident the cap
tain and mates looked for protest, for
all were on deck. The name of our
spokesman was Herbert, and he was
| English born. The captain came for
ward to meet us as We grouped around
Herbert with hats off, and after looking
us over he shouted out:
| "Well, d-n your eyes, why don't
you speak up2 What is wanted of me1"
eff you please, sir,'' said Herbert,
eve can't eat the grub.
"Oh, you can't You are probably
disappointed. You expected oyster
soup, Java coffee, hot biscuit and
honey, and your stomaehs have gone
back ON you.''
''Your Honor, but will you please
smell of this beef?' asked Herbert, ad-
yancing step.
"Smell of the beef, you hounds, youl"
howled the Captain. ''Did the owners
engage me to sail the ship or to smell of
the forecastle beef? I sized you up ON
the start for lot of skulking sojers,
and here's proof that was right. You
are lot of id mutinous dogs, and
nOw's the time to give you a lesson.
With that the three officers began the
attack, never minding who they hit,
1rIr fbo fal, 1nol ard
with the others. The man at the wheel
was, believe, the only man who es-
capped a blow, while not sailor raised
his hand in reply. The ship was run
ming off before a light breeze, and for
fifteen minutes the three men had it
their own way. Then the Captains
watch was called, the other sent below,
and as we came on deck Capt. Mckay
said:
"There, curse you for lot of dock
loafers, L hope you have found out who
sails this ship. The man who dares
come aft with another complaint will
get his brains knocked out. y
There were nine of us in the Captains
watch, which, as told you, was really
the second mates watch, no Captain
standing watch at sea unless he so
wills. Every one of us had been struck
or kicked, and two of the men had been
savagely beaten on the head and were
covered with blood. The name of the
first mate, who now went below with
the Captain, was McLogan. The name
of the second mate was Andrews. He
was younger man than the others and
perhaps had more heart, for after bit,
hi ho x,-ho ha or
ped near him and observed:
"The old man is little rough, but
one of the best seamen out of Glasgow.
You complained too soon."
''But, Mr. Andrews, what are we to
do for grub?" asked Herbert. "There
isn't man in the fo'castle as can eat
such stuff
"Well, it's not my lookout what the
owners furnish. Unless you men want
h-ll to pay you will turn to and make
the best of it,
That closed the conversation. Not
man of us spoke of mutiny or even the
resistance to lawful authority !
When our watch was up we turned IN
and went to sleep. ] for one cherished |
the hope that the provisions would be |
better in the morning. The officers had
only to taste them to realize that they
were totally unfit, and I hoped the
Captain would do this and thus do away
with all cause for further complaint
As the kids were brought forward at
breakfast time, however, We scented the
sinking beef long before it reached us,
and we found the biscuit AMI tea as vile
as ever. Having eaten nothing since
the previous noon, and all of us being
hearty men, you can imagine that we
were sharp set. Not man of us, how
ever, could swallow that food, and the
kids and pannikins were left standing at
the windlass for the cook to carry back
with their contents untouched The
men looked at each other with troubled
faces, but there was no threat of mutiny.
We went to our work on empty stom-
achs, as also did the other watch, and, !
though the officers knew it, not a word
was said. The men chewel an extra
quantity of tobacco, and hoped that |
noon would soften the Captains heart. |
Noon brought no change, and when !
supper was served and we found the |
same grub placed before lis, the
men broke out with curses. If |
the food had been eatable, don't you
suppose that sailors, who had been
from twenty-four to thirty hours with
out eating mouthful, would have at |
least nibbled at it2 / am telling vou |
what l afterward made affidavit to. [ !
made repeated attempts to worry down
some of the meat, but each time it was
rejected. Some of the men who got a
few swallows of the tea down were made
sick. Again we went sup
PEERLESS, but now the men began to as
selt that no law of the high seas per-
mitted a captain to starve his crew.
We will wait until morning, and, if the
food was not changed, that something
must be done. l am sure the Captain
expected something to occur that night,
for he was frequently ON deck, and the
three officers were more than once in
The cook had reported, as
we afterward learned, that none of the
supper had been eaten, and the Captain
had replied:
'Well, the burned soiers will either
Eat such grub as / set out, or live on
heir own fat.
am telling you truthfully that not
word of mutiny was whispered during
he night. We made no threats, and
lad no plan, but yet we all felt that
would bring crisis of some
Ort. During the night, in the case of
10Th watches, the officers were very
Ibusive, lnd the men were struck or
licked without the shadow of an excuse.
When daylight came, and we began to
Grub down, the breeze died quite away,
nd we lay becalmed. We were at this
,oint ninety or a hundred miles from
he British coast. When it was time
or breakfast both watches were on
leck, and, as the men went to the cooks
gallery to receive their kids and panni-
tins all three officers showed up on
leck. / was at the wheel, and | saw
hat the Captain and first mate had
heir revolvers. The kids were taken
lad not been changed, and the men
,ushed the dishes away. If there was
NY growing [ couldn't hear it. The
japtain waited about ten minutes, and
hen seeing that the men were not 60
lg to eat, he told the second mate to
rder them aft. All came in body,
nd all bore themselves respectfully.
''Look here, Herbert" said the Cap
lin, addressing the sailor, who had
cted as spokesman on the previous oc-
asion, "what is the matter with the
rUb?'
Its bad, sir-unft to eat, replied 1
le man.
"That is, you lazy lubbers have
greed among you to call it bad, and so J
ake me put into some pOrtf'
''Sir, there's never n man of US but
hat is willing to stand for the voyage |
ld work our best, but the grub, sir,
egging y e.-r par lon, was spoiled long {